Taipei - Typhoon Fung Wong has caused at least 300 million Taiwan dollars (30 million US dollars) in agricultural damage in Taiwan, the Council of Agriculture said Tuesday.

According to the council, 3,345 hectares of crops and orchards were flooded as Fung Wong, which means Phoenix, slammed Taiwan over the weekend, destroying crops of vegetables and fruit.

The damage has affected vegetable supplies to cities, causing prices to rise 50 to 100 per cent.

Taipei - Taiwan said Monday that China has invited the leaders of Taipei's 23 diplomatic allies to attend next month's Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing, but these leaders have refused to attend.

"China has invited the heads of all countries, including our allies, to the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. So far, none of the heads of state or deputy heads of state of our allies will attend," Ko Shen-yeaw, director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Central American Affairs, told reporters.

Taipei -

Taipei - Taiwan on Saturday issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong (Phoenix), which has formed over the Pacific Ocean in the past two days.

By 11 am (0300 GMT) Saturday, the centre of Fung-Wong was 680 kilometres southeast of Taiwan's southern tip at Erlunpi, the Central Weather Bureau said.

Moving in a westerly direction at 16 kilometres per hour (kmph), Fung-Wong packs centre winds of 101 kmph and gusts of 126 kmph.

Taipei- The number of foreigners visiting Taiwan rose 5.6 per cent to 1.9 million from January to June, amid Taiwan's efforts to find ways to lure more foreign tourists, the government said Friday.

The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said that of the 1.9 million foreigners, 44.7 per cent were tourists, 24.5 per cent were business visitors and 30.8 per cent were foreigners entering Taiwan for other purposes.

Taipei - Taiwan's new de facto ambassador to the US said on Friday there is no arms sale freeze from the US, despite recent acknowledgement of such a policy by a top US military commander.

"No one, particularly those in charge of the issue, told me they are going to freeze any arms sales," said Jason Yuan in a news conference in Taipei before assuming office in the US on August 4.

He said from the State Department to the Defense Department, no officials have said there would be an arms sale freeze for Taiwan.